Now when I had to explain to my mom that a "chai latte" might be coffee-based (bad) but a "chai tea latte" should be tea-based (good), I understood, because that's kind of a subtle distinction in the name when most of the words seem foreign to you anyway, and coffee shops have only been a big thing for a small part of your existence.

So that's why the SB baristas always repeat back my order as a "chai tea latte." I thought stringing "chai" and "tea" was a bit repetitive, but now I know it's to confirm that I don't want coffee (nasty stuff, that) in my chai "tea" latte.

I think part of it is also based on what sort of storms you're used to. My parents grew up in Florida where lightning strikes are common and expected during rain storms, so they raised us to use this type of caution (not in an open area, not in a pool, not taking a shower, etc during a storm) but where I live now, thunder and lightning are so rare that if it's raining, you really can keep swimming because you will just get wetter.

Interesting, see, I never heard a rule about not taking a shower during a thunder-and-lightning storm, aka... electrical storm. So that makes sense, it just never occurred to me before.

We don't take baths/showers (metal pipes + water + electricity = trouble), unplug the TV, modem, computer, always have a battery powered radio with back up batteries and turn off the AC. I tend to just go to bed or read a book during thunderstorms. My current pool has a building on 2.5 sides and a brick wall on the other 1.5 side. It feels quiet closterphobic. The reason is security. They are making it as difficult as possible for someone to sneak in after hours. That does mean that during a fire/fire drill the people at the pool have to go inside the potentially burning building to get out.

The no water in a storm thing is 2 fold for me 1) water and electricity don't mix 2) I grew up on Texas beaches, rivers and lakes. In open water you are the tallest thing around. Even the pools I went to as a kids tended to be in very open areas. The default was that people would want to sun themselves and not having structure that could block the lifeguard's views. 2 of them also overlooked the golf course.

A heavy rain without thunder and lightening freak me out. The two times I had a tornado dance around the building I was in had those conditions heavy rain, wind no thunder. The one ti

I live in the middle of Florida and hurricane season is in sway as I type. All county and city governments offer clinics to help people prepare for these storms, the local hardware/home stores offer classes and kits of supplies.

Still, there is always nearly 1/3 of the people who live here (not tourists) who will have no food, batteries, candles, manual can openers, pet supplies, drinking water, first aid kit, hygiene water, or store of their medication.

Hurricanes always give at least 8 hours of notice of their arrival as long as you pay attention to the local news or radio station.

Here in New England, we get even more warning--because we've been watching the storm hit Florida or some other southern state, unfortunately, and then move on up the coast. We still have people running to the store for batteries, bread and milk hours before the storm hits. And running to the beach to watch the storm surge.

It's not like tornadoes, which seem to be able to pop up at random and follow an erratic course. The weather people are pretty good at spotting hurricanes and tracking them these days.

If she'd said "doesn't tell you which way the storm is moving," I'd see her point. When I lived in New York, I'd sometimes be walking home, see a flash off to the west, and count seconds. That would tell me how far away the storm is, and after a few thunderclaps I would have an idea of whether it was getting generally closer to me, but that didn't tell me whether the storm was actually approaching: a storm to my southwest that is moving due north is coming closer, but it's not going to rain on me.

(I haven't sorted out the weather patterns in my new home yet; it doesn't help that the most impressive rainstorm since I got here came from the "wrong" direction in terms of usual/prevailing conditions.)

Logged

Any advice that requires the use of a time machine may safely be ignored.

We can usually tell the way the storm is moving, but we have had a few that covered our city (which is pretty sprawled out) and we could see lightning all around the edges. That is a tough one to call.

Logged

“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."-J.R.R Tolkien

It was the last day of school, so like many kids, a few teachers also went to a pool party to celebrate. One teacher (male-for the record) lit the grill and proceeded to answer questions from another male teacher. (Gender doesn't really matter, it just is part of the story telling). Both teachers are in their 30s/40s, and teacher 2 is notorious for his love of takeout.

Conversation: Pete: So, when you are cooking hot dogs, when do you marinate them?Ken: Um...you usually don't marinate hot dogs. Pete: You don't??? Huh. How about hamburgers then?Ken: I don't usually marinate those either...do you?Pete: Never made either. Don't know how to. Ken: Oh, well you just..(explains about heating and cook time and such.)Pete: What about the cheese?Ken: That goes on at the end, just to get it melted for a bit.Pete: Where does it come from?Ken: A package?Pete: Wait wait. You buy cheese!Ken: Pete-do you ever grocery shopping?Pete: No! DD for breakfast, school or take out lunch, take out or restaurant dinner!

Pete is an awesome guy, but most of the rest of us were dying at the convo. Pete takes it though-he knows his views on cooking are a bit extreme, and it was cute that he was interested. I think he might just try it some time.

Surely, someone who has no idea how people cook food, would assume you have to buy at least most things. We don't all have farms in our backyards, right? Did he think you buy meats, but not other things like cheese, or vegetables? Has he never been in another person's house ever and failed to notice the lack of a cornfield? Not knowing is one thing, but this guy seems to have made a few very strange assumptions that would clash with reality every single day.

Surely, someone who has no idea how people cook food, would assume you have to buy at least most things. We don't all have farms in our backyards, right? Did he think you buy meats, but not other things like cheese, or vegetables? Has he never been in another person's house ever and failed to notice the lack of a cornfield? Not knowing is one thing, but this guy seems to have made a few very strange assumptions that would clash with reality every single day.

It hurts my brain trying to get inside this guy's point of view.

You would be surprised. I know that I am still capable of not knowing something, simply because I don't NEED to know. I lived in my house for 3 years before I knew that my next door neighbor had a kid (next door in that our houses are attached). I didn't know the basics about car maintenance until I brought a junker and was forced to learn. I couldn't afford to take it to the dealer every single time something came up.

I mean once something is brought I'm I'm like "doh!", but I know there are things that I probably should know but I'm not very interested in learning because it would take time away from other things.

When I was a teen, I worked for several summers at a pool. The area was subject to pop-up thunderstorms that could be pretty fierce. The area around the poll was also wide open.

We were always amazed how many visitors had to be almost literally pulled out of the pool and herded into sheltered areas. The classic plaint was, 'Why? I don't care if it's raining. I'm already wet'.

I think part of it is also based on what sort of storms you're used to. My parents grew up in Florida where lightning strikes are common and expected during rain storms, so they raised us to use this type of caution (not in an open area, not in a pool, not taking a shower, etc during a storm) but where I live now, thunder and lightning are so rare that if it's raining, you really can keep swimming because you will just get wetter.

I lived in FL for 22 yrs. Summer thunderstorms were wicked! We had a pool, and at the first rumble of thunder I made the boys get out. There were many instances where beach goers who didn't seek shelter were zapped by lightning.

When engine warning lights pop up on your dash, you really need to find out what they mean before driving much farther. You do not drive 5000 more miles before you casually ask your friend what that light means.

You are dingdangity lucky you didn't completely ruin your engine.

Logged

Meditate. Live purely. Quiet the mind. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine. ---Gautama Buddah

When engine warning lights pop up on your dash, you really need to find out what they mean before driving much farther. You do not drive 5000 more miles before you casually ask your friend what that light means.

You are dingdangity lucky you didn't completely ruin your engine.

VorGuy insisted that the low oil light was only going on because he was turning a corner fast - it didn't mean that the engine needed more oil.

I took his car to work one day (two seater sports vehicle) because he needed my larger "family" vehicle for a group to go to lunch - he had volunteered to drive.

I stopped for a quart of oil...just in case.

Five quarts later....I left the station. Capacity of the oil? 5.5 quarts.

A month or so later, the 2 seater sports car threw a rod through the engine.

"But that had nothing to do with driving it for weeks with less than 20% of the required oil in it, really."

I've learned to check HIS vehicles for oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, washer fluid, and get the oil changed for him...it's less hassle in the long run that being left with only one working vehicle while his is in the shop. Or driving his and having to call a tow truck...

Love him - know that his brain does not work the way that mine does. I'm still not sure how his works...we've been married over 37 years. I just cannot fathom some of what he SHOULD know by now - but doesn't.